Chapter 7 - Appeasing a King
Thranduil did not speak to either of them for the next day. Legolas and Lianna had fallen asleep together on a tear soaked pillow. When she woke, she felt the intense desire for a long, hot bath. So, she disentangled herself from Legolas's arms and walked to the door. She stuck her head out, and luckily, she saw the washroom right across the hall.
Looking both ways to be sure no one was coming, she tiptoed across and into the room. The air was warm, and steam rolled from under one curtain. Lianna carefully chose an unoccupied bathtub and stripped off her dirty traveling clothes. Saying a silent thank you to the Mirkwood Palace staff for continuously keeping all the tubs full, she lowered herself slowly into the steaming water.
It felt as if all the bad experiences and evil deeds done to her just washed away. A lilac scent filled her senses, and she was nearly dizzy with delight. She thought she could easily spend all day just lounging there. But, a sudden and overwhelming urge to return to Legolas sprang upon her.
So, she toweled off quickly and tiptoed back to her room. But, as she lay her hand on the doorknob, voices rang from inside, making her cease movement to hear better.
"Son, your first fiance, I agreed to put up with. That was hard enough, she was a pauper! But now, this one? A pauper AND a murderer! Please do not ask me to harbor a criminal!"
It was Thranduil, and he was none too happy. But, Legolas's voice met and surpassed his father's in anger and volume.
"Father, she is innocent! If you are really so close minded that you cannot accept my love simply because she is not royalty, then I am ashamed to be your son."
Lianna gasped softly outside the door. She could not imagine what Thranduil's reaction was. That was about the worst insult anyone could have said.
Upon seeing his father's shocked and hurt expression, Legolas's eyes softened a bit, and he felt a pang of regret and guilt for his words. But, Thranduil's face hardened, and he put on the stoic mask that had Legolas inherited from him and spoke.
"Take her back to Rivendell, or you shall not have my blessing for your marriage."
Legolas's jaw dropped, and Thranduil simply turned on his heel toward the door.
Lianna was so taken aback by the King's threat that she did not react when she heard him walk toward the door. Only when he opened it did she jump back. He stepped into the hall and glared at her before walking away.
Frozen with fear, it took Lianna a moment before rushing into the room, to see Legolas standing in the same spot, unmoving. His jaw was still dropped, and his eyes were wide. Lianna read a million emotions in them.
"He will not give us his blessing. I cannot marry you." Legolas whispered detachedly, almost to himself.
"No, no you can!" Lianna took his shoulders and gave him a gentle shake, as if trying to snap him from his hopeless trance.
He looked into her eyes, and said sadly, "I cannot. If I marry without my father's blessing, I forfeit Prince-hood. I would give up the throne…ruling my kingdom someday. I must take you back to Rivendell."
"No, no, Legolas, please!" Lianna begged, her voice already wavering with tears threatening to break loose.
Legolas cut her off, he could not stand to hear her beg him when he could not please her. The only way to make her stop begging was to be brutal. To make a clean break. He looked to her, and straightened up, looking very aloof and royal. The infamous stoic mask taking over his face. Lianna saw the walls being put up. It broke her heart to see him push her away like that.
"I will depart with you for Rivendell in a few days."
Lianna's jaw dropped. "And just what do you think will happen when we get back there? They'll string me up! They still think I killed Katarina, remember? Would you really send me off to my death? By 'justice' or otherwise?"
By 'otherwise' Legolas knew she meant heartbreak, and he had to admit he had not thought of this consequence.
He reasoned, "Elrond will surely have convinced his people of your innocence by now. I will send a messenger to be sure."
With that, he brushed coldly past her but stopped by the door. He half turned to her, though she had her back to him and whispered, "I am sorry I can't make you happy."
It seemed that lit a fire under her because she jumped and spun around, seemingly enraged, "I thought I told you all I needed was you! Do you really think I'm that shallow that I need to be Princess to be happy?" Lianna took several meaningful strides toward him and lowered her voice. "If it were up to me, I'd marry you without your father's blessing. Let the consequences that may come. At least we'd be together."
Legolas was silent for a moment. "You don't know how much Mirkwood means to me. I live for the day I will become King, and rule these beautiful Elves. And my father…I want so much for him to understand. For him to be proud."
Lianna had no response. Legolas left. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to analyze what had just happened. Legolas was giving up. After all they'd been through, he was giving up NOW? Lianna didn't understand why becoming King was such a big deal to him. All they had to do was get married, and they could live in the city as commoners.
Unless, of course, Thranduil banished them as well. Which was, as much as she hated to admit the King's heartlessness, a very real possibility. In that case, they could just live in the forest.
Wait, scratch that. There was no way she was living in that dark, creepy forest. They could live in Rivendell with her family. That was, if the people would have them back.
None of her musings really mattered, however. Because Legolas was not going to renounce his inheritance. Becoming King and gaining his father's acceptance was more important to Legolas than she was, it seemed. She had no idea his issues with his father ran so deep. He'd never really talked to her about it in depth before.
When she asked about his father, all he'd say was that they weren't close. And that he was a very hard Elf to get along with. One incident stuck out particularly well in her memory. Legolas was telling her of two specifically painful moments between he and his father.
------Flashback------
Lianna placed a hand on Legolas's knee, as he stared at his hands in his lap. She had just asked him about his father, and witnessed the pain flash before his eyes.
"You don't have to tell me." Lianna said, as understandingly as she could, though she really did want to know. She wanted him to open up to her on this subject that he wouldn't open up to anyone else about.
"No, I need to talk about it." He smiled weakly as he placed a hand over hers.
------Flashback (within a flashback)------
A very young Legolas, not 100 years, skidded around a corner of marble floors and crashed square into a century old decorative vase. He clapped a hand to his mouth and backed slowly away, intending to turn around and haul ass away from the scene of the crime. But when he turned, he came face to face, or face to chest rather, with his father.
He yelped and stumbled a few steps backward.
"Um…Ada…I was just…"
"Valor, Legolas! Look what you've done! Can't you go one day without causing trouble? I swear you'll never grow up and be responsible!" Thranduil brushed past his son to inspect the million pieces of vase scattered on the floor. Legolas watched him through bleary eyes.
"I'm sorry Ada." He whispered.
Thranduil did not look at his son as he raised his voice. "I don't want to hear it, Legolas! It's always 'I'm sorry for this' and 'I'm sorry for that' but you never learn!"
Legolas choked back a sob, and turned on his heel, high tailing it out of his father's presence.
------Switch Flashback------
He looked about 400 (I'm guessing, around 17 in human years) as he walked briskly down the hallway toward his father's chambers. Dressed in traveling attire, with his sword on his hip and his bow and quiver on his back.
A stoic expression on his face, he pushed the heavy oak doors open without even a knock. Thranduil was bent over a table of maps, and did not lift his head.
"I'm leaving for the border, father." Legolas said coolly.
Thranduil kept bent and said, just as coolly. "See you in a few weeks."
Legolas cracked a disbelieving smile and scoffed, "That's all I get? 'See you in a few weeks?' How about 'Be careful, son' or even 'Good luck' would suffice." He raised his voice exasperatedly.
Thranduil looked at his son incredulously and put his palms up toward the ceiling, as if shrugging and saying 'whatever.'
"Good luck." He said insincerely and detachedly. Legolas just stared for a moment and turned on his heel.
------End Flashback(s)------
Lianna recalled these encounters as Legolas had relayed them to her. He was so sad when he told her of the uncaring distance between he and his father. Her heart ached for him. She couldn't imagine what it must be like, to strive for someone's acceptance only to be shot down your whole life. Legolas dedicated his whole existence to pleasing his father, until he met her.
But now it seemed, Legolas thought he found a chance to gain his father's love, by bringing Lianna back to Rivendell. And he could not pass up that chance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N…I had a hard time thinking up memories of Thranduil being real mean to Legolas. That was the best I could do.
L.Terranova - you must be the most excited reviewer I have…lol.. Thanks so much! Mucho amor right back atcha!
TPfan333 - thanks! In Whats My Name Again? Thranduil is a real nice Elf, but in The Hobbit, Tolkein described him as, I believe, untrusting.
nilimade - lol thanks! 3 days is my 'as soon as Elvishly possible' lol : )
-Austin B.
Thranduil did not speak to either of them for the next day. Legolas and Lianna had fallen asleep together on a tear soaked pillow. When she woke, she felt the intense desire for a long, hot bath. So, she disentangled herself from Legolas's arms and walked to the door. She stuck her head out, and luckily, she saw the washroom right across the hall.
Looking both ways to be sure no one was coming, she tiptoed across and into the room. The air was warm, and steam rolled from under one curtain. Lianna carefully chose an unoccupied bathtub and stripped off her dirty traveling clothes. Saying a silent thank you to the Mirkwood Palace staff for continuously keeping all the tubs full, she lowered herself slowly into the steaming water.
It felt as if all the bad experiences and evil deeds done to her just washed away. A lilac scent filled her senses, and she was nearly dizzy with delight. She thought she could easily spend all day just lounging there. But, a sudden and overwhelming urge to return to Legolas sprang upon her.
So, she toweled off quickly and tiptoed back to her room. But, as she lay her hand on the doorknob, voices rang from inside, making her cease movement to hear better.
"Son, your first fiance, I agreed to put up with. That was hard enough, she was a pauper! But now, this one? A pauper AND a murderer! Please do not ask me to harbor a criminal!"
It was Thranduil, and he was none too happy. But, Legolas's voice met and surpassed his father's in anger and volume.
"Father, she is innocent! If you are really so close minded that you cannot accept my love simply because she is not royalty, then I am ashamed to be your son."
Lianna gasped softly outside the door. She could not imagine what Thranduil's reaction was. That was about the worst insult anyone could have said.
Upon seeing his father's shocked and hurt expression, Legolas's eyes softened a bit, and he felt a pang of regret and guilt for his words. But, Thranduil's face hardened, and he put on the stoic mask that had Legolas inherited from him and spoke.
"Take her back to Rivendell, or you shall not have my blessing for your marriage."
Legolas's jaw dropped, and Thranduil simply turned on his heel toward the door.
Lianna was so taken aback by the King's threat that she did not react when she heard him walk toward the door. Only when he opened it did she jump back. He stepped into the hall and glared at her before walking away.
Frozen with fear, it took Lianna a moment before rushing into the room, to see Legolas standing in the same spot, unmoving. His jaw was still dropped, and his eyes were wide. Lianna read a million emotions in them.
"He will not give us his blessing. I cannot marry you." Legolas whispered detachedly, almost to himself.
"No, no you can!" Lianna took his shoulders and gave him a gentle shake, as if trying to snap him from his hopeless trance.
He looked into her eyes, and said sadly, "I cannot. If I marry without my father's blessing, I forfeit Prince-hood. I would give up the throne…ruling my kingdom someday. I must take you back to Rivendell."
"No, no, Legolas, please!" Lianna begged, her voice already wavering with tears threatening to break loose.
Legolas cut her off, he could not stand to hear her beg him when he could not please her. The only way to make her stop begging was to be brutal. To make a clean break. He looked to her, and straightened up, looking very aloof and royal. The infamous stoic mask taking over his face. Lianna saw the walls being put up. It broke her heart to see him push her away like that.
"I will depart with you for Rivendell in a few days."
Lianna's jaw dropped. "And just what do you think will happen when we get back there? They'll string me up! They still think I killed Katarina, remember? Would you really send me off to my death? By 'justice' or otherwise?"
By 'otherwise' Legolas knew she meant heartbreak, and he had to admit he had not thought of this consequence.
He reasoned, "Elrond will surely have convinced his people of your innocence by now. I will send a messenger to be sure."
With that, he brushed coldly past her but stopped by the door. He half turned to her, though she had her back to him and whispered, "I am sorry I can't make you happy."
It seemed that lit a fire under her because she jumped and spun around, seemingly enraged, "I thought I told you all I needed was you! Do you really think I'm that shallow that I need to be Princess to be happy?" Lianna took several meaningful strides toward him and lowered her voice. "If it were up to me, I'd marry you without your father's blessing. Let the consequences that may come. At least we'd be together."
Legolas was silent for a moment. "You don't know how much Mirkwood means to me. I live for the day I will become King, and rule these beautiful Elves. And my father…I want so much for him to understand. For him to be proud."
Lianna had no response. Legolas left. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to analyze what had just happened. Legolas was giving up. After all they'd been through, he was giving up NOW? Lianna didn't understand why becoming King was such a big deal to him. All they had to do was get married, and they could live in the city as commoners.
Unless, of course, Thranduil banished them as well. Which was, as much as she hated to admit the King's heartlessness, a very real possibility. In that case, they could just live in the forest.
Wait, scratch that. There was no way she was living in that dark, creepy forest. They could live in Rivendell with her family. That was, if the people would have them back.
None of her musings really mattered, however. Because Legolas was not going to renounce his inheritance. Becoming King and gaining his father's acceptance was more important to Legolas than she was, it seemed. She had no idea his issues with his father ran so deep. He'd never really talked to her about it in depth before.
When she asked about his father, all he'd say was that they weren't close. And that he was a very hard Elf to get along with. One incident stuck out particularly well in her memory. Legolas was telling her of two specifically painful moments between he and his father.
------Flashback------
Lianna placed a hand on Legolas's knee, as he stared at his hands in his lap. She had just asked him about his father, and witnessed the pain flash before his eyes.
"You don't have to tell me." Lianna said, as understandingly as she could, though she really did want to know. She wanted him to open up to her on this subject that he wouldn't open up to anyone else about.
"No, I need to talk about it." He smiled weakly as he placed a hand over hers.
------Flashback (within a flashback)------
A very young Legolas, not 100 years, skidded around a corner of marble floors and crashed square into a century old decorative vase. He clapped a hand to his mouth and backed slowly away, intending to turn around and haul ass away from the scene of the crime. But when he turned, he came face to face, or face to chest rather, with his father.
He yelped and stumbled a few steps backward.
"Um…Ada…I was just…"
"Valor, Legolas! Look what you've done! Can't you go one day without causing trouble? I swear you'll never grow up and be responsible!" Thranduil brushed past his son to inspect the million pieces of vase scattered on the floor. Legolas watched him through bleary eyes.
"I'm sorry Ada." He whispered.
Thranduil did not look at his son as he raised his voice. "I don't want to hear it, Legolas! It's always 'I'm sorry for this' and 'I'm sorry for that' but you never learn!"
Legolas choked back a sob, and turned on his heel, high tailing it out of his father's presence.
------Switch Flashback------
He looked about 400 (I'm guessing, around 17 in human years) as he walked briskly down the hallway toward his father's chambers. Dressed in traveling attire, with his sword on his hip and his bow and quiver on his back.
A stoic expression on his face, he pushed the heavy oak doors open without even a knock. Thranduil was bent over a table of maps, and did not lift his head.
"I'm leaving for the border, father." Legolas said coolly.
Thranduil kept bent and said, just as coolly. "See you in a few weeks."
Legolas cracked a disbelieving smile and scoffed, "That's all I get? 'See you in a few weeks?' How about 'Be careful, son' or even 'Good luck' would suffice." He raised his voice exasperatedly.
Thranduil looked at his son incredulously and put his palms up toward the ceiling, as if shrugging and saying 'whatever.'
"Good luck." He said insincerely and detachedly. Legolas just stared for a moment and turned on his heel.
------End Flashback(s)------
Lianna recalled these encounters as Legolas had relayed them to her. He was so sad when he told her of the uncaring distance between he and his father. Her heart ached for him. She couldn't imagine what it must be like, to strive for someone's acceptance only to be shot down your whole life. Legolas dedicated his whole existence to pleasing his father, until he met her.
But now it seemed, Legolas thought he found a chance to gain his father's love, by bringing Lianna back to Rivendell. And he could not pass up that chance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N…I had a hard time thinking up memories of Thranduil being real mean to Legolas. That was the best I could do.
L.Terranova - you must be the most excited reviewer I have…lol.. Thanks so much! Mucho amor right back atcha!
TPfan333 - thanks! In Whats My Name Again? Thranduil is a real nice Elf, but in The Hobbit, Tolkein described him as, I believe, untrusting.
nilimade - lol thanks! 3 days is my 'as soon as Elvishly possible' lol : )
-Austin B.